Charals

171 Robson Street
Vancouver, BC
Tel: (604) 689-3497

 

Charals provides excellent service and offers a wide selection of pens and accessories within a very pleasant and upscale decor.

In addition to the wide selection of pens there are leather desk accessories, writing paper products, watches and business related luggage.

I have been visiting Charals since I returned to Vancouver in 1987.

Whether to see the wide range of pens or to buy a Filofax refill, visiting the store it is always been a great experience.

The first store was a small shop in New Westminster, BC. After that the Charals store in the Sinclair Centre was a store with a great presence. But, with a number of changes that took place at Sinclair Centre, the store closed and moved to its its present location at 171 Robson Street in Vancouver.

Charals - Vancouver

 

Back in 2012, when I wrote a pience on the 2012 Anniversary, I had the opportunity to talk with Leo Desautels, Director, Sales & Channel Marketing for Newell Rubbermaid Office Products about Charals. The Office Products Division of Newell Rubbermaid owns Parker and Waterman. Newell Rubbermaid's vision includes to be a global company of "Brands that Matter". Those brands include fine writing instruments. Similarly, Charals selects and array of brands that meet customer needs for their client. Leo Desautels notes that Charals is a good example of a store that knows and understands the value of brands. The products and brands selected, the central downtown business-centre location and the upscale architecture of the Sinclair Centre all nicely come together.

The impact of the previous economic recession has been felt by the entire retail industry. For the pen retail trade it has meant that customers are more price conscious and seeking the best quality they can have with their purchase.

Charals incorporated the Internet into their business model and is now also including social media such as Instagram.

Charal's customers include business clients in the downtown centre of Vancouver. The majority of the pens sold at the store tend to be rollerball and ball point models. Fountains pens are a regular part of his business, but not the majority of pens sales.

I acquired my Visconti Homo Sapiens fountain pen from Charals, after visiting with the owner of Visconti, Dante del Vecchio in Florence, getting this pen was very meaningful.

It is product, selection and quality of service which is a defining aspect of being a customer of Charals.

The Robson Street store opened as the Graf Von Faber-Castell Boutique for Vancouver.

I had the pleasure of attending the opening of the new Graf von Faber-Castell Boutique in Charals' new store on Robson Street. This is one of four Boutiques Graf von Faber-Castell will open in Canada. They are proud for this to be the first on the West Coast.

The new store has an elegant yet comfortable feel to it. The high ceiling create a roomy atmosphere. The walls have beautiful cases with Graf von Faber-Castell pens as well as Montblanc, Waterman, Visconti, Dupont and Parker. In addition there are leather desk accessories.